Japanese police registered a record-low 20,805 road accidents nationwide in April, data showed Friday, reflecting a decline in vehicle traffic following government requests for people to stay at home due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Japan Today)

The novel coronavirus that is causing the COVID-19 pandemic can be transmitted between domestic cats, even though infected cats may not show any symptoms, according to a research team working in Tokyo and Wisconsin. (Japan Times)

With the Olympics postponed due to the coronavirus, top Japanese fencer Ryo Miyake has swapped his metal mask and foil for a bike and backpack as a Tokyo UberEats deliveryman. (Japan Today)

With the world's oldest population and one of the most crowded megacities on the planet as its capital, Japan should have provided a fertile breeding ground for the deadly coronavirus. (Japan Today)

Japan is lifting its state of emergency for about 80 percent of the prefectures ahead of schedule. (NHK)

Japan's health ministry will launch large-scale antibody testing to see how widely the coronavirus has spread in the country. (NHK)

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Thursday said his body is preparing to spend up to $800 million for extra costs necessitated by the one-year postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. (Kyodo)

A record-low number of people passed through Narita Airport during nation's Golden Week holidays as most airlines suspended flights due to the coronavirus pandemic, immigration authorities said Wednesday. (Japan Times)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Wednesday began a study into whether sewage samples can be used to detect signs of a spread of novel coronavirus infections. (Japan Times)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials say 10 new cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed on Wednesday. The figure is the lowest in Tokyo since the state of emergency was declared on April 7. (NHK)

Japanese health officials confirmed 81 new cases of coronavirus infection across Japan on Tuesday, bringing the total to 16,049. (NHK)

Japan's health ministry has approved a simpler and faster antigen test method for coronavirus. It is expected to help raise the total number of tests. (NHK)

Time on your hands and a love of anime? A producer from Japan's Studio Ghibli is offering an online tutorial for drawing one of its most beloved characters: Totoro. (Japan Today)

A survey by NHK shows less than 80 percent of hospital beds available for coronavirus patients are filled in all Japanese prefectures other than Tokyo, as the number of infections is on the decline. (NHK)

Japan will consider lifting its state of emergency for five prefectures previously designated as potential hot spots for coronavirus outbreaks, including popular tourist destination Kyoto, but Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido will remain covered by the decree, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Five official Olympic merchandise shops in Tokyo will close by early June with business hindered by the coronavirus pandemic and the games being postponed until next year, organizers said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Japan may have rounded the corner and things are looking better in the last week. Here is news from around the country that I call the Japan Travel Update. (ONLY in JAPAN)

A Japanese health ministry survey says the country's 47 prefectures have only secured less than half the number of hospital beds they will need for coronavirus patients when the outbreak reaches its peak. (NHK)

The government shouldn’t rush to reach a decision on pushing back the start of an academic year to September, a prospect that would entail momentous changes to the nation’s educational system and possibly cost universities billions of yen in losses, a group of scholars said in a statement Monday. (Japan Times)

The launch of a new domestic rugby competition in Japan, originally scheduled for fall next year, may be delayed due to the one-year postponement of the Summer Olympics, a Japan Rugby Football Union executive said Monday. (Kyodo)

Businesses across Japan are slowly reopening even before the government makes its final decision on lifting a nationwide state of emergency. (NHK)

Temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius were observed in wide areas in Japan on Monday. Hot weather is also forecast on Tuesday. (NHK)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Monday started compensating small- and medium-sized businesses that had suspended operations through last week amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Japan Times)

Casual clothing chain Uniqlo has reopened its flagship store in Tokyo's Ginza district after a month-long shutdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

Amid requests for people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in Japan, instances of tailgating or stones being thrown at cars with out-of-prefecture license plates have been growing in areas that have few confirmed cases of infection. (Japan Today)